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Changing Gods: Rethinking
Conversion in India
The book under review by Rudolph C. Heredia, a Jesuit sociologist by his own admission, is a courageous academic intervention as he tries to forge a middle ground of sanity and common sense amidst fiercely contested domains of pro- and anti-conversion ideological positions. Heredia argues that the issue of conversion, especially involving Christianity, evokes such sharp reactions because of its associations with colonialism. Taking on the orthodox element within proselytising religions and their construction of conversion as an event of victory over the ‘other’ rather than a process of perpetual quest for higher level of spiritual awareness, the author questions the legitimacy of conversion which is facilitated and mediated through external inducements or network of power or force. Conversion becomes subversive, he argues, when religion works as political ideology rather than spiritual faith. This, however, in no way undermines the possibility of conversion as an emancipatory, affirmative and enlightened journey of self. Conversion as an option of exercising one’s right as individual or collectivity in search of higher truth can be liberating. A Dalit’s urge to embrace Buddhism, for instance, as a moment of departure or escape from centuries old shackles of abhorrent caste practices need to be understood with empathy and in context of its historicity. This journey may be fraught with failures and frustration but to negate the possibility of transition itself is violation of basic human rights. Those who are opposed to conversion are characteristically those for whom what is sacrosanct is the religious territory and its boundaries and not the people. Talking of the extremist element within Hinduism today, Heredia interrogates their idea of Hinduism as a monolithic entity and contends that even within non-proselytising religions there have been transitions and shifts and syncretism. Citing the notion of Gandhi’s Atmaparivartan, the author argues that even though it is different from Dharmaparivartan, it indicates the possibility of eternal urge for change being omnipresent. Reacting sharply on the attempt of appropriating Gandhi’ s rejection of the concept of conversion by the fundamentalist element within Hinduism, Heredia considers it a gross injustice to the legacy of ‘sarva dharma sambhav’ of Gandhi. Gandhi understood conversion primarily as an element of colonialism and hence his apprehensions. Moreover, he had tremendous faith in his reformatory ideals and therefore always advocated the autonomy of all religions. His supreme understanding and the practice of the idea of peaceful coexistence through resolution of inner contradictions have no meeting point with the highly vitriolic and exclusivist brand of Hinduism. In a chapter, Personal Journeys, author passionately explores the nuances of conversion through a brief biographical description of spiritual journeys of Ambedkar, Gandhi, Pandita Ramabai and sister Nivedita. Through these life sketches, the author highlights various shades of conversion and most importantly debunks the notion of definitiveness in transition from one to other religious landscapes. The chapter captures the trauma, ambiguities and dilemma involved in the process of conversion. In a multicultural and pluri-religious society and the world that we live in, the key to religious harmony and stability are increased inter-faith dialogues and religious disarmament. The author here highlights the significance of Gandhi’s non-violence and belief in goodness of others as beacon of hope. A culture of healthy debate and dialogue across religious boundaries will have to replace the culture of hegemony and silence. Only then it would be possible to convert conversion from a tool of subversion to a diversity enriching liberating process. The merit of this book is that it is loaded with academic rigor, powerful arguments and sensitive but fearless treatment of a subject not many academicians would dare to engage with such alacrity.
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WHEN faith gets
institutionalised, it becomes religion. While religion is rigid, the
beauty of faith has been its fluidity. The reason why religion is being
seen globally today as the most potent weapon of mutual destruction is
because of the loss of the element of faith as its central component.
The politics of identity further accentuates and hardens the religious
boundaries. The prospect of any dialogic engagement between different
religious landscapes is strongly frowned upon by the community
supremacists. In such a time of mutual contempt and denial, the
ever-present current of faith and its perpetual proclivity of
transcendence beyond the demarcated religious territories generate
extreme situations of controversies and contestations. The issue of
religious conversion is one such volatile situation.